Swamp cooler in solar shed

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi guys,

I Live in a remote location of the Mohave desert of Arizona and have been 100% off grid for the last 8 years. My neighbor (7 miles away) has been in his straw bale house for 10 years and as of this summer, has decided to put a small swamp cooler in his battery/equipment shed. He feels keeping the batteries, inverter and charge controller "cool" will help the performance of his system. My concern is...putting that moisture into the shed and equipment. The shed is appx 10X10 feet. Do you think the swamp cooler is a good plan and will the moisture make any difference? Thanks for your time and help.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Swamp cooler in solar shed

    The COOL will help. If there is enough surplus power to run it.

    The moisture will not help.

    Maybe a reflective roof, or insulation on it would be a better step ?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Swamp cooler in solar shed

    So in the Mohave desert of Arizona he has water to waste in a swamp cooler?

    Or is it pumped from 400ft below ground, which would require more energy than could ever be saved by cooling the equipment?
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: Swamp cooler in solar shed

    WRONG!!! There is lots of water in the desert. My well is 600 feet and is pumped by a 48volt Grundfros well pump hooked directly to solar panels. That way we can run 24 volt swamp coolers and stay nice and cool...which by the way, work great. I just don't want him to pump lots of moisture into his equipment. Most of our sheds have reflective material and insulation. His shed is straw bale.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Swamp cooler in solar shed
    JerryAlbers wrote: »
    Most of our sheds have reflective material and insulation. His shed is straw bale.

    What's the shed roof ?? Most cars get 20mpg. My wifes gets 40.

    most is meaningless.


    How do the straw bales hold up in the humidity ? Will it affect them ??
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

    · Share on Twitter

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